four white walls photography

I got the opportunity to photograph the Fullness of Life Foundations night at the Phoenix Coyotes game against the Colorado Avalanche on Friday night. Some of the children of parents involved with the foundation were able to sit on the bench while the Coyotes and Avalanche went though their pre-game warm ups. This was my assignment for the night, follow the kids down to the bench and get photos of them during this time.

I was disappointed to learn that I would not be allowed to go on the bench with the kids. Earlier I was told by one of the people on the public relations staff that I would be allowed on the bench. I was extremely excited and immediately pictured myself on the bench with Wayne Gretzky asking me advice on how to get this team into the playoffs. Not only was I not allowed on the bench, only the team came out to go through their pre-game warm up.

Shane Doan is the only Coyote player that I recognize. He seemed to have a very spirited warm-up, flying around the ice without a helmet, his hockey mullet flying in the wind. Coach Gretzky did not make it out to the bench for pre-game warm-ups, but someone who looked like an assistant coach was intently studying the Avalanche players and taking notes.

A young lady that was affiliated with the Fullness of Life Foundation sang the national anthem. I was allowed to go down to that corner of the ice and take pictures of her singing.

Watching the players come out of the locker room is always fun.

The Coyotes did have some hard core fans greeting them as they came on to the ice.

At the start of the second period, the score board was showing the kiss cam, when it came to this last couple. Suddenly the Coyote mascot handed this guy a box of roses and the scoreboard showed the caption “Stephanie will you marry me?”. By her initial reaction, the crowd could tell it was Yes!, and let out a cheer. It was one of the classic sports cliches of our time, the Jumbo-tron marriage proposal.

By the way, the Coyotes lost the game in a shoot out. Dump and Chase Hockey, hard to keep any kind of offensive pressure on the other team when your chasing the puck. Someday this team will learn how to pass and control the puck, like the Mighty Redwings!